Short for Pan American Sports Organization according to abbreviationfinder, PASO is an organization created in 1955 that brings together the national Olympic committees of the countries of the American Continent.
Background
The history of this organization are in Congress Deportivo Panamericano in Buenos Aires, August 28 to the 31 of August of 1940, which was set up to organize and administer the Pan American Games, which were originally scheduled to be held in 1942, but were postponed to 1951.
Characteristics and objective of the organization
Created in 1955, its objective is to strengthen the bonds of union and friendship of the American countries through sports and the principles of the Olympic movement and organizes the Pan American Games that are held every four years.
Recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), PASO is a civil organization that seeks to promote Olympic sentiment and its sporting and social ideals in America.
The official languages are English and Spanish. It is based in Mexico City and its motto is América, Espírito, Sport, Fraternité. It is one of the five continental organizations that make up the Association of National Olympic Committees.
Members that make up PASO
Until 2008, PASO has the affiliation of 42 national Olympic committees of America. To be part of the organization, the American country must have a National Olympic Committee recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Each of these National Olympic Committees has the right to be represented by two delegates (one incumbent and one alternate) at the general assemblies. The member countries of the Pan American Sports Organization are the following:
| Olympic committee | |||
| Old and bearded | Netherlands Antilles | Argentina | Aruba |
| Bahamas | Barbados | Belize | Bermuda |
| Bolivia | Brazil | Canada | chili |
| Colombia | Costa Rica | Cuba | Dominica |
| Dominican Republic | Ecuador | The Savior | USA |
| grenade | Guatemala | Guyana | Haiti |
| Honduras | Cayman Islands | British Virgin Islands | Virgin Islands of the United States |
| Jamaica | Mexico | Nicaragua | Panama |
| Paraguay | Peru | Puerto Rico | Saint Kitts and Nevis |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | St. Lucia | Surinam | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Uruguay | Venezuela |
How it is administered
Its supreme authority is the General Assembly, in which each of the 42 member countries has the right to one vote. The nine countries that have already hosted the Pan American Games have the right to two votes on issues such as the choice of the venue for the Games or the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee is the designated permanent authority of PASO. It is made up of the organization’s president, three vice-presidents and a general secretary, as well as a treasurer and nine members, three from each of three groups of 14 countries each, brought together by geographical proximity.
With the exception of the general secretary and the treasurer, indicated by the president and approved by the General Assembly, all other positions are by vote, with a term of four years and the right to reelection.
The election takes place in the General Assembly that takes place one year after each edition of the Pan American Games.
PASO Presidents
Over the years this organization has been chaired at various times by various presidents. They are:
- Of the 1940 – 1948 Avery Brundage US
- From 1948 – 1951 José María de Jesús Clark Flores from Mexico
- 1951-1955 Douglas Fergusson Roby from the United States
- From 1955 – 1971 José María de Jesús Clark Flores from Mexico
- -Jun. 1971 (acting) Sylvio de Magalhaes Padilha from Brazil
- From 1971 – 1975 José Beracasa Amran from Venezuela
- From 1975 – 2015 Mario Vázquez Raña from Mexico
- From 2015 (acting) Ivar Sisniega Campbell from Mexico
- From 2015 – 2017 Julio César Maglione from Uruguay
- From 2017 – Neven Ilic Álvarez from Chile
Current Executive Committee of PASO
- President
Mario Vázquez Raña (Mexico)
- First Vice President
Colonel Antonio Rodríguez (ARG)
- Second Vice President
Michael S. Fennell (JAM)
- Third Vice President
Jorge Nery Carvajal Castro (CRC)
- Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) for the Americas.
Julio Cesar Maglione (URU)
- General secretary
Felipe Muñoz Kapamaz (MEX)
- Treasurer
Richard Peterkin (LCA)
- Honorary member
Jorge Herrera Barona (COL)
- Honorary member
William Warren (CAN)
- Honorary member
Peter Ueberroth (USA)
- Members of Group 1 (Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, United States, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico and the Dominican Republic)
Arlington Butler (BAH) Meliton Sanchez (PAN) Michael Chambers (CAN)
- Group 2 members (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Cayman Islands, Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Venezuela)
José Ramón Fernández Álvarez (CUB) Alphonso Bridgewater (SKN) Veda Bruno Víctor (GRN)
- Members of Group 3 (Netherlands Antilles, Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Uruguay)
Paulo Wanderley (BRA) Nicole Hoevertsz (ARU) Juman Yassin (GUY)
- Assistant secretary
Antonio Mariscal (MEX)
- Executive Secretary
Jimena Saldaña (MEX)
